KING COUNTY COUNCIL LIKELY TO APPROVE M'S STADIUM TODAY

The "final wrangling" within the Metro King County Council
on the funding plan for a new Mariners stadium is over an attempt
by Budget Committee Chair Pete von Reichbauer to create a "fiscal
oversight committee" that would report to the council on the new
Public Facilities District overseeing the project. According to
this morning's SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, that debate is not
expected to keep the council from voting to put the stadium plan
"into motion." Under the Legislature's plan, the state would
contribute $107M of the $320M project, the Mariners $45M, and the
county would be granted taxing authority to cover the rest.
County officials have questioned whether the funding is adequate
for the project, and are concerned that tax revenues may not
cover the entire cost (Ed Penhale, SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER,
10/23).